Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

John Smith is only 54 years old. He's got another 20 years of coaching in him, if he wants it.

Can't imagine Iowa sticking with Tom Brands much longer. They've been more patient with him than they were with Zalesky. OU will probably get "antsy" if the boys don't improve within the next year or two.

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

John Smith is only 54 years old. He's got another 20 years of coaching in him, if he wants it.

Can't imagine Iowa sticking with Tom Brands much longer. They've been more patient with him than they were with Zalesky. OU will probably get "antsy" if the boys don't improve within the next year or two.

Oh, I thought he was 60+. I had heard rumblings that he might hang it up once JoJo graduates.

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

For his own sake, I hope John Smith does not coach for 20 more years. I am sure he could actually continue to do it for that long at the highest level, but doesn't he deserve a break at some point? How old was Gable when he stepped down as head coach? Smith should get the same type of treatment and be able to stick around the program in a senior advisor role.

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

For his own sake, I hope John Smith does not coach for 20 more years. I am sure he could actually continue to do it for that long at the highest level, but doesn't he deserve a break at some point? How old was Gable when he stepped down as head coach? Smith should get the same type of treatment and be able to stick around the program in a senior advisor role.

Gable was 48 when he stepped down. But his body was breaking down as a result so many years of putting it through physical hell long after his competitive career was over. I think most coaches out there avoid that kind of activity as a result.

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

For his own sake, I hope John Smith does not coach for 20 more years. I am sure he could actually continue to do it for that long at the highest level, but doesn't he deserve a break at some point? How old was Gable when he stepped down as head coach? Smith should get the same type of treatment and be able to stick around the program in a senior advisor role.

I think Gable was 48. A good question would be, why did he step down when he was so young? because his body was breaking down? The guy was still at the top of the heap, and would have for sure won at least 3 more titles on top of his 15.

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

For his own sake, I hope John Smith does not coach for 20 more years. I am sure he could actually continue to do it for that long at the highest level, but doesn't he deserve a break at some point? How old was Gable when he stepped down as head coach? Smith should get the same type of treatment and be able to stick around the program in a senior advisor role.

Gable didn't step down because he was too old, he stepped down because he physically couldn't handle the job anymore due to his hips/knees.

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

I think Gable was 48. A good question would be, why did he step down when he was so young? because his body was breaking down? The guy was still at the top of the heap, and would have for sure won at least 3 more titles on top of his 15.

Gable definitely retired because of physical issues, otherwise Iowa would probably still be at the top of the heap. Gable had both his hips replaced, as I recall, and both his knees as well (I think).

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

Seriously? That's from pushing your body beyond what a normal person would ever even think of to try to achieve greatness. He pounded on guys on the mat and in the room for years. At the level he was at that takes a toll. Age has little to do with it, abusing your body to be the greatest does.

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

One thing that Bobby Douglas noted in one of the Gable documentaries was that Gable had no qualms about taking on wrestlers who were much bigger in size than he was. He would sometimes go with Chris Taylor when they were at Iowa State. Lou Banach admitted that when he wrestled for Iowa, Gable could beat him. As amazing as those feats sounded, they came with a price.

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

Seriously? That's from pushing your body beyond what a normal person would ever even think of to try to achieve greatness. He pounded on guys on the mat and in the room for years. At the level he was at that takes a toll. Age has little to do with it, abusing your body to be the greatest does.

Age has everything to do with it.Age is time, if he only did it once for a day it likely wouldn't have happened. He did it for years- AS HE GOT OLDER!

You're taking a very narrow definition of age.

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

This hits it right on the head......imagine for example putting legs in on a guy much bigger than you, and how much extra torque it puts on your knees, hip, etc. He worked out with the Banach's, Peterson's and you could go on and on....someone above mentioned 48 being old.....48 didn't do it. And it wasn't just wrestling/working out with guys, it would be stuff like doing buddy carries over and over and over. (This is in response to Sheerstress)

Edited February 26 by fadzaev2I thought I piggy backed someone's quote, but I didn't I guess

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

One thing that Bobby Douglas noted in one of the Gable documentaries was that Gable had no qualms about taking on wrestlers who were much bigger in size than he was. He would sometimes go with Chris Taylor when they were at Iowa State. Lou Banach admitted that when he wrestled for Iowa, Gable could beat him. As amazing as those feats sounded, they came with a price.

This hits it right on the head......imagine for example putting legs in on a guy much bigger than you, and how much extra torque it puts on your knees, hip, etc. He worked out with the Banach's, Peterson's and you could go on and on....someone above mentioned 48 being old.....48 didn't do it. And it wasn't just wrestling/working out with guys, it would be stuff like doing buddy carries over and over and over.

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

Talk to the guys who wrestled for Dan Gable. The Coach would spend mat time with them. Oftimes a lot longer than a three minute go. 30 minutes or so at times. His body finally started giving out and he could not wrestle with his team - that is the main reason for retiring. Ask him, he is candid about it.